BAP on modern art

[glycineevangelist]

Short thread to open up discussion of BAP on modern art.

As BAP puts it: the 'story of modern art is right wing Nietzschean vitalism, as found in Celine', Jünger, Mishima et al.
While music discussed on this board is not explicitly political (left nor right), his focus on these subversive authors is of relevance given cross-over into industrial / noise fascination of such authors.

"Frogs should be producing murderous pornographic samizdat and videos and such in Celine tradition...too many are misled by wholesome images of Hallmark-lace curtain nationalism. You win by owning decadence...Celine, Mishima can show way..."

"The left wing fake bohemian avant-garde is so obviously a cheap copy of what men like Celine did, and it's superficial because it's entirely within the horizon of the conventional civil religion, the desiccated residue of a dead morality. Never actual confrontation with existence"

Quotes taken from Xtwitter.

[ekastaka]

Very interesting thread... BAP's views on art and aesthetics elevates him far above other social commentators on the modern "right", let alone those outside that sphere. While conservatives tend to constrict their artistic sensibilities due to piety or just general lack of taste, BAP (who is not a conservative) demonstrates a way forward away from the moralfagging of both the left and the right which brings to mind the futurists. I think this is an example of the intersection you mentioned, between his thought and the inclinations of industrial/noise culture. At first glance, this can be seen as dredging through some sort of tepid political discourse or milieu but in actuality, this goes far beyond petty politics. For both BAP and industrial/noise, an aesthetic vision ties everything together in a totalizing endeavor.

I'll link some relevant material below

https://glycineputler.libsyn.com/caribbean-rhythms-with-bap-episode-116-mulholland-drive

https://asylummagazine.ca/CLASSICAL-MUSIC-AND-THE-RIGHT

[nezalezhnye]

Was throwing off of the desiccated residue of a dead morality and actual confrontation with existence not originally the main inspiration for noise and industrial and p.e. breaking taboos?

[AdamLehrerImageMaker]

BAP also denies the flat reality that most 20th century art came from the left and outside those names you just mentioned, alongside people like Wyndham Lewis and the Futurists and so forth, far more 20th century artistic movements leaned left: dada, surrealism, situationism, and so forth. I think what made all of this different than today is all of these guys were thoughtfully engaging with the social crises of their times, where as we quiver from them. We quiver from the truth. We silence and shame those who openly acknowledge any truth at all. The antidote to all this hypocrisy and censorious fervor is crypto-transgression. Recent pop cultural products, like Beau is Afraid or the series The Curse, dealt directly with the lunacy of unchecked migration, the homeless crisis, and the sickening state of American cities. And yet, no normies seemed to even understand that their viewpoints were being challenged. This is interesting to me. It's like the truth must be retconned into the culture via encryption and obscuration.

[Balor/SS1535]

And yet, no normies seemed to even understand that their viewpoints were being challenged. This is interesting to me. It's like the truth must be retconned into the culture via encryption and obscuration.

That's a very interesting point because is would seem to beg the question of why bother trying to make such contact with such an oblivious population?

[AdamLehrerImageMaker]

Because within that population, there might be a few just waiting to be awakened

[Balor/SS1535]

Because within that population, there might be a few just waiting to be awakened

While that sounds like a losing battle overall, I suppose that is also where the heroic/martyr-like aspect of it comes from!

[glycineevangelist]

For both BAP and industrial/noise, an aesthetic vision ties everything together in a totalizing endeavor.

Also refer to episode 33 of Caribbean Rhythms podcast on classical musics where he talk about the historical turn of decadence to vitalism in art history; and Wagner/Scriabin's messianic conception of the total work of art in which the political state itself would be transfigured into a work of art. (paraphrasing somewhat)

[ekastaka]

And yet, no normies seemed to even understand that their viewpoints were being challenged. This is interesting to me. It's like the truth must be retconned into the culture via encryption and obscuration.

That's a very interesting point because is would seem to beg the question of why bother trying to make such contact with such an oblivious population?

Democratization has allowed for the mass engagement with the arts. In doing so, transforming the various mediums which were once under the guardianship of the elite/aristocracy. Aesthetics, meaning, and purpose is transfigured (you can say degraded, degeneration as a biological phenomenon, not moral) for the new audience. Art is degraded towards a common vague sentimentality to be felt among the general populace (the passerby) - I have my doubts whether the general population is even capable of genuine thought/feeling let alone life but that is another conversation... In the democratic age, art's potential is in cultivating a culture that undermines or challenges nomos/Νομος. Artists can ferment a transvaluation of values that precedes something greater, ex: Futurism, D'Annunzio. I think this is what BAP is attempting with his book and engagement.

Anyways, his most recent episode has a great discussion on the revival of Kleos Aphthiton via Renaissance art.

[tiny_tove]

sorry, don't spit of me, but who is BAP? I lost myself. Interesting read here, but curious to read more.

[Balor/SS1535]

And yet, no normies seemed to even understand that their viewpoints were being challenged. This is interesting to me. It's like the truth must be retconned into the culture via encryption and obscuration.

That's a very interesting point because is would seem to beg the question of why bother trying to make such contact with such an oblivious population?

Democratization has allowed for the mass engagement with the arts. In doing so, transforming the various mediums which were once in the guardianship of the elite/aristocracy. Aesthetics, meaning, and purpose is transfigured (you can say degraded, degeneration as a biological phenomenon, not moral) for the new audience. Art is degraded towards a common vague sentimentality to be felt among the general populace (the passerby) - I have my doubts whether the general population is even capable of genuine thought/feeling let alone life but that is another conversation... In the democratic age, art's potential is in cultivating a culture that undermines or challenges nomos/Νομος. Artists can ferment a transvaluation of values that precedes something greater, ex: Futurism, D'Annunzio. I think this is what BAP is attempting with his book and engagement.

Anyways, his most recent episode has a great discussion on the revival of Kleos Aphthiton via Renaissance art.

Democratization or mechanization or art?

[ekastaka]

sorry, don't spit of me, but who is BAP? I lost myself. Interesting read here, but curious to read more.

Bronze Age Pervert, author of a short yet compelling book - Bronze Age Mindset (can be found on Amazon). He also produces a podcast, Caribbean Rhythms, which is hosted on Gumroad but you can generally find episodes floating around. Hour long previews are available here - https://glycineputler.libsyn.com/

[tiny_tove]

than

sorry, don't spit of me, but who is BAP? I lost myself. Interesting read here, but curious to read more.

Bronze Age Pervert, author of a short yet compelling book - Bronze Age Mindset (can be found on Amazon). He also produces a podcast, Caribbean Rhythms, which is hosted on Gumroad but you can generally find episodes floating around. Hour long previews are available here - https://glycineputler.libsyn.com/

thanks will check, is the guy European or American?

[keyedgatekeeper]

thanks will check, is the guy European or American?

European by birth

[AdamLehrerImageMaker]

And yet, no normies seemed to even understand that their viewpoints were being challenged. This is interesting to me. It's like the truth must be retconned into the culture via encryption and obscuration.

That's a very interesting point because is would seem to beg the question of why bother trying to make such contact with such an oblivious population?

Democratization has allowed for the mass engagement with the arts. In doing so, transforming the various mediums which were once under the guardianship of the elite/aristocracy. Aesthetics, meaning, and purpose is transfigured (you can say degraded, degeneration as a biological phenomenon, not moral) for the new audience. Art is degraded towards a common vague sentimentality to be felt among the general populace (the passerby) - I have my doubts whether the general population is even capable of genuine thought/feeling let alone life but that is another conversation... In the democratic age, art's potential is in cultivating a culture that undermines or challenges nomos/Νομος. Artists can ferment a transvaluation of values that precedes something greater, ex: Futurism, D'Annunzio. I think this is what BAP is attempting with his book and engagement.

Anyways, his most recent episode has a great discussion on the revival of Kleos Aphthiton via Renaissance art.

Culture does need some kind of elitism. A vanguard to protect its dignity. Don't get me wrong, I like BAP's book a lot and he's funny as hell, and the mass media attention he's generated has been exciting to watch. It's almost like they know there's something alluring about his work that threatens them. If you know who he actually is and where he's actually from, the performance of it all becomes even funnier.

I just worry about this for myself; I don't want to be bastardized as a "dissident right" artist or cultural critic. I am partly to blame because I seized upon the moment to stake a claim to my platform (what else to do? No one else would work with me as soon as I announced that I'd be voting for Donald Trump.) But, now my goal is to broaden my reach. I think millions of people are aware that are system is breaking down and know intuitively who is responsible for it. I want to seize hearts and minds outside my algorithmic bubble.